Amanda H., SlimFast Success Story and Brand Ambassador, shares her emotional journey of overcoming an unexpected change in her relationship, and how after losing 30 pounds* found love, strength, and confidence like never before. After maintaining her weight for over six months, Amanda decided to try SlimFast Keto and lost another 21 pounds!* Now, as Amanda prepares to marry the man of her dreams, she’s proving once again that with determination and a positive attitude you can achieve anything you want, even a completely Keto wedding!
In 2017, I found myself going through a divorce after 16 years of marriage. It was probably one of the lowest moments of my life. I never thought it could ever happen to me. This emotional moment has led my life in a direction that I never could have dreamed of.
For eleven years, I was a stay-at-home mom to our two amazing children. I kept the three of us very involved in community events and I home-schooled the kids. I stayed very busy and pretended that I was alright with myself. After the divorce I realized just how unhappy I was with myself and my body image. It all happened so fast and I still can’t wrap my head around just how much has changed.
I realized that ever since I started my adult life, I had been hiding my feelings and eating based on my emotions. This was very hard for me to understand. I was having a hard time with my divorce, so I sought the help of a therapist. That was one of the best decisions I ever made. She helped me work through some major emotions and road blocks that I did not even know were there. Emotional eating was a big one. Right around this time is when I found SlimFast, another one of the best decisions I made in my life.
I was skeptical at first. I had tried so many weight loss plans and diets in the past. I thought, “No way will this work.” Boy, was I wrong! In August of 2017, I started the SlimFast Plan using the Advanced Nutrition products.
“It was the easiest, most convenient plan I had ever tried. I started seeing results right away.”
When I started my journey, I was out of shape and always out of breath. I was only able to walk about 20 minutes a day, and some days that was a struggle. Once others started seeing a change and commenting on my progress, it encouraged me even more. Much of this support came from family and friends. However, I don’t think I would’ve been as successful without the support of the SlimFast Together group on Facebook.
I lost 30 pounds and 20 inches in 28 weeks using SlimFast Advanced Nutrition. When I reached the initial goal I set for myself, I knew I could probably lose more, but I was comfortable. I started the SlimFast Maintenance Plan and maintained my weight successfully for over six months. I began to focus on physical activity and I became active in Tae Kwon Do and many outdoor activities with my family.
Around this time I also started dating again. Sam, a family friend and an instructor at our Tae Kwon Do school for years, asked me out on a date. My daughter was thrilled and said, “You better say yes, mom!” That’s when the adventure began. He was like no other man I had met before.
“He supported me in everything I put my mind to. I suddenly felt as though I was unstoppable.”
In October of 2018, I found out that SlimFast was launching a Keto line. I had continued to maintain my weight, but I was ready to set a new goal. I started SlimFast Keto by following the Keto Quick-Start Guide. Right away, I knew this was the plan for me. I had so much energy and clarity. I started seeing results right away. My family was so inspired by my experience, they switched to SlimFast Keto, too. My parents, my sister and her husband are all following The Plan and loving it!
As I move along in my SlimFast Keto journey, I feel fabulous. I absolutely love the SlimFast Keto Together Group on Facebook. It is such a great tool because many of us in the group are just learning how to do Keto. It is so exciting helping and learning from one another. Every day I thrive because of the group. I love being able to share my story with others and learn new ideas and tips from everyone in the group. I recently hit a new goal. I have now lost a total of 54 pounds with SlimFast! It is still so mind-blowing to me. I never thought I could achieve such goals, but with the support of the groups and the easy-to-follow Plan, I did!
“The great thing about the SlimFast Plan is that it fits my crazy lifestyle.”
I went from home-schooling my kids and volunteering in our community to working full time at the Williston Airport. It is a very physical job and a ten-hour workday. Following The Plan makes it is so easy to stay on track and reach my goals.
On October 30th, Sam asked me to go to Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens to get some exercise. This place is beautiful and has so many trails to walk on. While there, he took me down by one of the waterfalls. We were enjoying the scenery and taking selfies when the next thing I knew he asked me to marry him! I was so caught off guard and so overjoyed. I definitely didn’t think I would ever get married again, but I am so thankful that God sent Sam my way. Feeling safe and encouraged is a wonderful thing.
Sam and I both are getting very excited for our upcoming wedding in June. As we began talking about wedding plans, I realized how important it was to me that I did not have to go off The Plan for the big day. Since many of my family members now follow the Keto lifestyle, I didn’t want our wedding day to derail their progress either. We started talking about how we could make our wedding completely Keto, and found out it really wouldn’t be that hard at all. He is so awesome for supporting this idea!
It has been such a fun process to meet with the caterer and try some amazing, Keto-friendly recipes. I am so excited that all our guests will get to enjoy a full Keto menu. The great thing is I am positive that everyone will enjoy it. We even found a local baker to make a Keto wedding cake. Sam and I had the chance to do a cake tasting and we both loved them. I am so excited for our loved ones to see that it is possible to live the Keto lifestyle no matter the day or event.
Something that Sam and I are really looking forward to is our honeymoon. We will be taking a seven-day cruise. It will be very strange taking a trip like this without the children. We’re so used to always having them with us. I’m already planning on being prepared and staying on track even while cruising. I plan to have my SlimFast Keto shakes and bars with me and I’m sure I’ll bring along my SlimFast Keto Fat Bombs and 100-calorie nut packs. I may splurge a little, but overall, I find it very easy to stay on The Plan and not feel like I’m missing out on anything.
One last thing that I would like to share, is that no matter what you are going through, there is a positive outcome waiting for you. Life can sometimes get the best of us. I still struggle with this every day, whether at work or home. You really can change your perspective of a situation if you choose to have a positive outlook. Some days are better than others and mistakes are going to happen. Try not to be too hard on yourself or those around you. Tomorrow is a new day. Remember to start it with a smile on your face and positivity in your heart. Life is a journey. Enjoy every moment!
#togetherwearestronger